1940

During World War II, enrollment dropped drastically, down to only 775 students, mostly women. The campus became a virtual military camp, with thousands of military men and women training here. But by the fall of 1946, after the war, a new problem arose -- too many students. Returning veterans swelled enrollment to more than 3,000 students. The ex-soldiers, identifiable by articles of military clothing, had wives and children, something unknown in previous years. Classrooms were crowded, and housing was so difficult to find that even converted coal bins were highly sought. Tin huts, surplus remnants from the war, were quickly constructed to accommodate them. The student body changed forever after the war. Students were different -- they were older, veterans, married, and serious.